The Grand Duke's Soulmate-Chapter 500: An Unrestrained Outburst

The heads and representative of the Pillar Families followed suit, dropping to their knees after their king.

"Hail Her Imperial Majesty, the Great Khasif!" they declared with unwavering resolve.

The undeniable proof of Anna’s identity had been clearly established.

Throughout the kingdom, it was well known that Ramios, a magical sword bestowed by the last empress, would never work in the hands of the wrong person.

In the princess’s grasp, she not only wielded the blade with strength but also effortlessly sliced through the metal handcuffs and chains in a single blow, as if they were mere paper. The act freed Kiev instantly—a feat even King Kyden had never achieved. Only the emperor could do that.

The crowd knelt as the king and the heads and representative of the Pillar Families did, leaving Lord James frozen in disbelief.

Anna’s gaze swept the hall. When she locked eyes with the minister standing in surprise, she addressed him sternly.

"You dare to disrespect me, old man?" she hissed.

Seeing the fiery glint in her eyes, the minister swiftly prostrated himself on the floor in fear. He realised he had committed a grave offence—one that could cost not only his life but his entire family. The James lineage could be wiped out for their audacious insult toward the Khasif.

Trembling, he pleaded, "Forgive me! Forgive me, Your Imperial Majesty! I didn’t know! I swear I—"

"Shut up!" Anna yelled. "I don’t want to hear any excuses! Not even a word!"

Lord James hunched his shoulders. Biting his quivering lips in silence, he knew that one wrong sentence could send him to an early grave.

Reclining on the floor from the fall, Kyren attempted to rise and kneel, but Anna swiftly moved to him and grasped his shoulders.

"Don’t!" she said, her eyes gleaming with compassion. "You don’t need to kneel to me."

"But you are the Great Khasif," Kyren responded, a sense of deep respect evident in his voice.

As a northern warrior and the descendant of the admiral who served the emperor of Ro’an, he understood his place well.

"You are my husband... my man! If there’s anyone I will bow to, it’s you!" Anna declared, her affection for him was apparent.

Kyren smiled. Such recognition warmed his heart. He knew that to her, status and power held little significance; all she truly desired was his love and companionship.

"Thank you, my love!" he expressed, filled with gratitude.

The Grand Duke pulled his wife close and embraced her. Nothing was more meaningful than finally obtaining the love of the one he had yearned for.

After navigating countless twists and turns, with their love and trust tested time and again, they were finally together and proved their worthiness for each other. No one could deny their reunion or question the bond they shared anymore.

As the crowd bowed in silence, none dared to voice their doubts. However, Sarah, still reeling from the assault, opened her mouth.

"No!" she cried out from her broken lips. "You can’t have him! He’s mine! The grand duke is mine!"

The onlookers lifted their heads in surprise, glancing at the chief lady-in-waiting.

"Close your mouth, Sarah!" Lord James reprimanded.

"I will not!" she shot back, rising to her feet and wiping the blood trickling from her lips.

Trembling with anger, she found it hard to accept that her ambition to become Kyren’s official wife had been torn apart right before her eyes.

What was even more infuriating was that the concubine whom she despised so much had received everything she had ever desired—high status, recognised imperial heritage, power, respect, and above all, the unwavering devotion of Kyren’s love.

This was beyond Sarah’s wildest imagination.

Throughout her life, she had obtained everything she wanted. Even when faced with rejection, she consistently managed to manipulate circumstances to her advantage.

The realisation that things were not going according to her desire hit her hard, far more painful than the physical blows she had received from Anna.

"Sarah!" Adam shouted, concern etched on his face.

He was worried that Anna might take severe action against his sister.

"I am the grand duke’s betrothed! I’m the one who is supposed to be his wife! No one can take him away from me! No one!" Sarah cried defiantly, her voice rising in a frenzied pitch as she displayed her engagement ring that she still wore.

Anger surged within her, a tempest of dissatisfaction and denial. How could they just ignore her claim?

The very thought ignited a burning rage, making her heart race. She felt betrayed, not just by Anna but also by everyone around her who seemed to accept this new reality without question. The entitlement she had always felt was hers was crumbling, and she was unwilling to let go.

The princess turned her gaze to the chief lady-in-waiting, her expression darkening.

"What did you say?"

"I said Kyren is mine! I don’t care who you are! You are never going to have him! I’m not scared of you!" Sarah challenged, her voice full of anger despite her trembling hands.

Lord James was surprised by his daughter’s boldness. As he approached her, he saw that the crowd did not dare step in. Even King Kyden kept silent – an unspoken understanding that no one would defend him or his daughter.

Grabbing Sarah’s hand in fear, he urged her, "Are you crazy? Do you have a death wish?! Bow to Her Imperial Majesty right now and ask for her forgiveness!"

"No!" Sarah shook off her father’s hand and pushed him aside. "No one can take away what’s mine! Kyren is mine!"

Lord James’s face turned pale. His daughter’s stubbornness was a ticking time bomb that could bring disaster to their family.

At that moment, he felt a deep regret for indulging Sarah excessively by giving her everything she wanted, making her unable to accept rejection.

Her delusion had become ingrained, and she was unwilling to relinquish her obsession, even after receiving some punishment.

"How dare you!" Anna shouted.

Letting go of Kyren, she leapt towards the chief lady-in-waiting in a flash. Sarah was taken aback by the princess’s sudden movement, but did not retreat.

Her desire for the Grand Duke had consumed her completely, blinding her to rational thought or boundaries. She could not accept that she was in no position to claim him as her own.

"You are a lowly concubine! Your blood is mixed with traitors! You are not a Ro’an descendant! You are beneath me!" Sarah spat, insulting Anna to her face.

’Poww!’

A hard punch landed on Sarah’s already bloody face. A cracking noise echoed from the impact, and blood began to pour from her nostrils in mere seconds. The force of the blow sent her lurching backwards, crashing to the floor.

"Aaa!!" Lord James screamed. "Help! Help! Somebody help!"

But his plea hung in the air unanswered; no one dared confront the raging princess. Many had already crossed her with the accusation driven by the chief lady-in-waiting and her father, and now, as they understood who Anna truly was and what she was capable of, fear laced their hearts.

The princess was the Great Khasif, the most powerful direct descendant of Ro’an, equivalent to the first emperor. Confronting her would bring severe consequences to them.

They could only hope she might show compassion and forgive them for their past actions, though witnessing her brutal response made that seem unlikely.

Anna ignored Lord James’s cries. Anger consumed her, fueled by Sarah’s relentless taunts. Despite the numerous slaps, the chief lady-in-waiting had failed to learn her lesson. It was time for a much ’proper education’.

Bending down, Anna grabbed Sarah’s dress neckline and pulled it sharply until it tore partially. Blood smeared the chief lady-in-waiting’s face, staining her dress and the princess’s fists as the punches persisted.

Anna had reached her limit with Sarah’s arrogance and malicious intent. There would be no forgiveness left in her heart for the chief lady-in-waiting.

Sarah had lost consciousness from the brutal pummeling, yet there was no sign that the princess would stop her assault.

"You slandered me numerous times!" Anna shouted. ’Poww!’

"You mocked me!" ’Poww!’

"You degraded me as if I were a lowlife!" ’Poww!’

"You wanted to kill me and my child!" ’Poww!’

"You even desired to steal my soulmate!" ’Poww!’

With each thudding impact, a collective wince rippled through the hall. The outburst unleashed the flood of emotions that Anna had suppressed for so long.

Many had assumed she didn’t mind the condescension and taunting, believing her to be endlessly kind and forgiving, willing to overlook mistreatment and bear the sting of mockery.

In reality, it had never been fine for her. She had simply restrained herself for the sake of those she held dear and because she felt powerless.

But now, she was about to exact her vengeance! Regaining her strength meant she no longer had to withhold her true feelings.

"Die, b*tch!" she screamed, raising her fist high for a final blow.

Just then, a large arm wrapped around Sarah, pulling her into an embrace, away from Anna. The princess was taken aback when the strong hand shielded the chief lady-in-waiting’s face from her strike.

Her fury surged, compelling her to continue the assault, but when she saw Adam’s tear-streaked face, her irises widened, and her fist halted mid-air.

Silence enveloped the scene, broken only by the admiral’s cries.

"My lady..." he pleaded in a trembling voice. "No... Your Imperial Majesty! Please have mercy! Don’t kill my sister!"

Anna was dumbfounded. Her gaze shifted from Adam to Sarah’s battered face—bruised and bloodied, the once elegant features were now beyond recognition.

"Yo-you promised me... that you would fulfil a wish of mine!" Adam stammered, desperation in his tone. "Please grant my wish!"

The admiral’s fear of the princess’s potential inconsideration was evident, given how harshly his sister and father had accused her. Nonetheless, he felt obliged to remind her, hoping for a moment of mercy.

Anna pressed her lips together, a memory stirring within her. She recollected the promise she had made to him.

What had seemed like a trivial request at the time now held weight. Grateful for the admiral’s support and unwavering faith in her, she had wholeheartedly pledged to grant his wish when the time came.

Now, caught between her desire for vengeance against Sarah and her promise to Adam, Anna felt torn. Her heart yearned to honour the request, yet the dark impulse for retribution loomed large.

The princess’s fist trembled, blood dripping from it, and her whole body shook with conflicting emotions. Despite her desire to restrain the urge, the overwhelming desire for revenge surged within her.

Anna screamed, tears streaming down her face as she battled her inner turmoil, shocking everyone present.

Kiev’s crimson eyes caught the intensity of her struggle, and he quickly directed Kyren.

"Save your wife! Stop her now!"

The grand duke turned to the Mederian Prince in surprise.

"What did you say?"

"Do it! Her power is consuming her and driving her to a frenzied wrath that she couldn’t control!" Kiev urged.

Kyren rushed towards his wife without hesitation, with Kiev following closely behind.

It didn’t matter to the Grand Duke what happened to Sarah; the chief lady-in-waiting had maliciously attempted to harm Anna and their child despite his warnings. His primary concern was his wife’s safety.

Kyren embraced his wife from behind, holding her arm, but Anna’s strength remained, her fist still raised in fury.

"Let go of me! I’m going to kill her!" she shouted, struggling against Kyren’s grip and elbowing him in a fit of rage, but the Grand Duke remained steady.

"You don’t want this," he said with his low, raspy voice.

His embrace tightened, but he was careful not to hurt the woman he loved.

"No! I’ve had enough!" Anna fought back, her voice rising. "I’ll show them all for mocking me and treating me like I have no dignity!"

The members of the royal court and noblemen who backed Lord James trembled with fear. The Great Khasif was furious. Their lives depended on the grand duke, who was their only chance of calming her down.

"You’ve shown enough. They’ve all learned their lesson," Kyren replied calmly, persuading her. "Let it go, Anna. We’re done here."

He gently covered her bloodied fist and guided it down. The struggle in the princess subsided, but her body continued to tremble violently.

"It hurts, Kyren! It hurts!" she cried, tears falling freely as she leaned the back of her head onto his chest.

Kyren’s forehead creased with worry.

"Take that ring off her!" Kiev interjected as he observed closely. "She’ll keep absorbing power from you as long as she wears it. It’s too much for her body. She can’t bear it."

The Mederian Prince hadn’t expected that Anna wearing the emperor’s ring would unleash such chaotic power, overwhelming her senses and intensifying her emotions and rage.

Kyren swiftly grasped Anna’s left hand and removed the ring. Her body drooped as the absorption of power from him immediately halted.

He caught her weakened body, his strong arm encircling her waist. As he held the emperor’s ring, he felt it tremble with a powerful force.

"The ring desires its master," Kiev warned, as his eyes looked in alarm. "She had worn it, so now it’s seeking her again. You must stop it, or it could be dangerous!"

"I can’t! The force is growing stronger!" Kyren exclaimed, his grip on the ring shaking.

"Wear it on your finger!" Kiev ordered.

"What??" the grand duke replied in disbelief. "I’m not of Ro’an lineage! I can’t wear it!"

"You can! You and Anna are bound as one by the binding spell!" Kiev urged.

Kyren hesitated, but the thought of saving his wife pushed away his doubts. With determination, he slid it onto his finger on the left hand.

To his astonishment, the ring, which had magically shrunk to fit Anna’s small and delicate finger, now enlarged to fit him perfectly.

Gasps echoed through the hall as the bizarre occurrence unfolded – that the grand duke, too, could wear the emperor’s ring.

"Hail His Imperial Majesty the Grand Prince Consort!" King Kyden proclaimed, bowing to his brother.

The rest of the crowd followed suit, offering their respect to the grand duke.

As the tension in the hall eased, Anna’s trembling also subsided. The force that had driven her fury dissipated, leaving only exhaustion behind.

"Take me away, Kyren! Please!" she pleaded, her voice weak.

Kyren understood her deeply. When faced with emotional distress, Anna would withdraw, hiding herself from others. He knew she didn’t want anyone to see her in such a vulnerable state.

Embracing his crying wife, he gently lifted her into his arms, prepared to depart.

As Rafe and Ayden saw Anna’s frail state, they hurried forward, followed closely by the concerned Knights of Gerhard.

"Your Highness! I mean... Your Imperial Majesty... Her Imperial Majesty needs to lie down!" said the healer urgently. "It’s best if I examine her."

Kyren nodded in agreement.

"Let’s go to her chamber," he decided.

Glancing at King Kyden before leaving, the Grand Duke instructed, "Clean up the mess."

Kyren hurriedly left the hall with his knights, healer, and assistant healer. The other attendees exchanged glances and wondered what he meant—not that their thoughts mattered to the imperial couple anyway.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by f(r)eew𝒆bn(o)vel.com